


Loyalty

by BenlosLittleSandRat



Category: Norse Religion & Lore, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Age Difference, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Mild Smut, Nudity, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-24
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-03-08 21:31:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13466955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BenlosLittleSandRat/pseuds/BenlosLittleSandRat
Summary: A series of drabbles regarding the relationship between Loki and his wife, Sigyn.Sigyn notices a change in her husband as his brother's coronation day grows closer.https://open.spotify.com/user/1212479763/playlist/5tuN1hW7Qq4Ep6xE1wUWL1?si=arvf4TFASwqzZq93LIoCjA





	1. Dream of Days Gone By

**Author's Note:**

> This story started off as a place where I was going to dump all of my Logyn oneshot stories, but it has developed into more of a story as I've continued writing, beginning with chapter 3. The story will pull from mythology and the MCU (Thor 1, Avengers, Thor 2). I'm going to be taking license with the timeline itself.

Drip…Drip…Drip…

The rhythmic pattern of the poison falling into my small wooden bowl is like a toxic lullaby. My arms burn with excruciating pain as I continue to hold the bowl over Loki's head, protecting him. I don't know how long I've been sitting here in this cave with him. It's been raining relentlessly ever since we arrived, whenever that was. My mouth and throat burn for water; Every drop of rain I hear hit the ground seems to be calling out my name. I want nothing more than to be able to go out, look up to the sky, and open my mouth, allowing the rain to fall into my mouth and run down my parched throat. The very thought of it is so appealing, I can almost taste it…

_A little girl goes running down the beach in the rain, laughing as she's chased by a dark- haired man. He catches up to her and picks her up, and she laughs as he spins her around, then puts her on his shoulders and continues to run down the shore._

_He stops to rest, putting the girl down on the ground and resting on a pile of rocks._

_"Loki, I'm thirsty." The little girl complained, sitting down next to him while he rested. Loki grinned at her._

_"Why don't you try catching raindrops, Sig?" He inquired. She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. She held out her had and attempted to grasp the rain as it fell from the sky. Loki laughed. She looked over at him, confused._

_"What's so funny?" She asked, not believing she was doing anything wrong._

_"Here, Sig, watch me." He said, then looked toward the sky, closed his eyes and opened his mouth, sticking his tongue out as he did so. Sigyn watched and giggled. He opened an eye and looked at her, then chuckled. "What's so funny?" he asked, wiping the water from his face._

_"You are, Loki! You look silly doing that." she said, grinning at him._

_"Oh, really?" he said, smiling at her. She nodded. " Well, then, why don't you try it?" he said, leaning back on the rock and waiting for her to try what he had just demonstrated. She backed up a few paces arms out at her sides, then mimicked Loki as she attempted to catch raindrops in her mouth. She spun around a few times, laughing and squinting up at the sky. After a while she became dizzy and stopped twirling, then giggled as she stumbled over to Loki. She sat down on his knee and smiled up at him as he brushed her hair out of her face, then looked up at him and said. "I'm still thirsty."_

_Loki laughed and hugged her. "Well, then, we're going to need to try something else…" he looked down the shore and noticed a pile of driftwood. The prince smiled, an idea coming to mind . He motioned for Sigyn to stand, then he got up and ran over lo the pile. Sigyn raced after him, shouting for him to wait up for her._

_Loki reached the driftwood and grabbed the best piece he could find. He turned to Sigyn and smiled, raising an eyebrow. Sigyn's eyes lit up when she saw the look on his face. "Are you going to do another magic trick, Loki ?" she asked excitedly, running over and hugging his leg as she looked up at him hopefully._

_He laughed and placed a hand on her head. Before he could answer, a sudden flash of lightning ripped the sky in half, followed by a sharp clap of thunder. Sigyn shrieked and hugged Loki's leg tighter, obviously frightened. The rain quickly grew from a light mist to a downpour, drenching the two of them in seconds. Loki picked up Sigyn and ran towards a small cave at the end of the beach. He set her down on a rock inside the cave, brushing her hair out of her face. She let out a small whimper and began to shake, the cold air getting to her. Loki hugged her, trying to keep her warm._

_He looked down at her after a few minutes, pulling the piece of driftwood from his pocket. He hid it behind his back. "Would you like to get some water?" he asked._

_She looked up at him, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "How do I do that?"_

_Loki grinned at her, "With this." He replied, handing her the piece of wood. She looked down at it, then back up at him, obviously puzzled._

_"A piece of bark?" She said skeptically._

_"Just examine it for a moment, Sig."_

_The young girl stared at the driftwood intently, as if she were attempting to solve a riddle. Loki grinned and motioned slightly with his hand. The young girl began to smile as the wood morphed itself into a bowl in her hands. Loki grinned as the young girl giggled happily, then ran to the mouth of the cave with the bowl and held it out in the rain. After a minute, she stepped back and sat down, just out of the rain. She took a sip from the bowl and smiled at Loki as he sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She handed him the bowl full of water, then nuzzled her head into his chest affectionately._

_"I love you, Loki."_

_The prince looked down at her and kissed her forehead. "I love you, too, Sigyn."_

A loud clap of thunder awakens me from my dream in time to realize that my bowl is almost overflowing with poison. I swear and frantically stumble to the front of the cave, hastily dumping the contents of my wooden bowl into the rain. I look back into the dark depths of our cave- turned- prison when I hear Loki scream as a drop of poison hits his face. I cry out and run back to him blindly to him, knowing my way after years of doing this again and again. I fall to my knees beside him, tears streaming down my face as I hold the bowl back over his head. I use my skirt to wipe the poison from face carefully.

"How did you sleep, love?" he asks, looking up at me and smiling weakly. I glare at him and stop cleaning his face.

"You were watching me sleep…!" I say angrily. Loki grins, and then nods in response. "Why did you not think to wake me?" I whisper harshly, furious with him.

"You seemed to be having a rather pleasant dream, Sig…You were smiling." Loki whispers weakly. I look away and wipe the tears from my eyes before placing my head on his chest and looking up at him, a maneuver I have perfected over the years.

"I dreamt about the day that you gave me this bowl…" I say, grinning as I remember my dream. "It was the first time I told you I loved you…"

Even though I can't see Loki's face, I can tell that he's smiling. "Ah, yes… I remember that day… the first time we sat out a rainstorm in a cave together," he said, chuckling bitterly. "Only I believe we were there under different circumstances."

Another tear rolls down my cheek as I laugh, remembering that day again."We stayed in that cave for the rest of the day, remember?"

"I do… I also remember your parents reaction to seeing you soaking wet and sitting in a cave drinking rainwater out of a bowl with an Asgardian prince." He said with a chuckle.

I laugh at this, remembering the look on my mother's face when she saw how dirty my dress was. "WHY SIGYN, A DAMP SEA CAVE IS NOT A FIT PLACE FOR A YOUNG VANIC PRINCESS!" I say, impersonating her voice perfectly, just like I used to do when we were younger.

Loki and I are both laughing now, not just an awkward chuckle to fill the silence or a bitter laugh at our present situation like always, but genuine laughter. It sounds rather odd and foreign as it bounces off the walls of our cave, but it is a sound I will cherish for the remainder of our time here. I lift my head off of Loki's chest and press my lips against his. The cave goes silent again as we share in our first sincere, sensual kiss since we arrived in the cave. For the first time in what feels like ages, neither of us needs comforting. For the first time, both of us are truly happy. All I want to do right now is remind Loki of how much I love him. I want to kiss him, I want to hug him with both arms and never let go.


	2. Nocturne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of a 2 part chapter about the beginning of Loki's punishment by the gods.  
> Part 2 will come at the end of our tale ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a second prologue of sorts for this story. Sigyn and her son have been brought to Asgard's dungeon, where they nervously wait to discover the true reason why they've been made prisoners.   
> Song: Nocturne - Anna Tackle

I sit in the dark, damp cell in silence. My heart aches with worry over my missing husband, my mind racing with fear. The soldiers that brought us here claim that it is for our own protection, but I am no fool. If they really wished to protect us, they would have taken us to a room within the castle, not deposit us in the dungeons like common criminals. Something terrible has happened, and I can't help but feel, deep within my heart, that Loki is to blame. The very thought of it makes my stomach writhe like snakes near a fire. Loki has done many things before, but never before had his father's soldiers taken us away to "protect us," even though there have been several occasions when I believe they should have.

"Mummy…?" My son Narfi's voice, small and wavering, tugs at my heart like a ravenous bilgesnipe. He has only called me mummy once since he turned twelve, and that was when he had fallen very ill. I take a deep breath before looking up at him as he steps into the dim torch light, shivering with a heartbreaking mixture of fear and cold. I try to ignore this and greet him with a smile.  _Stay strong for him._

"Yes, my child?" I whisper to him gently as he approaches me, reaching a hand out to comfort him as he sits next to me. He quickly buries his head in my lap. "What troubles you, little one?" I ask, fighting off the small tremor in my voice as best I can.

"Why have they brought us here?" Narfi mumbles into my lap, whimpering. I rub his back to comfort him, and, I suppose, to reassure myself that he is still here with me. I parrot back to him the lie that was told to me when the soldiers cornered me in my garden.

"Why, to keep us safe, Narfi. Apparently there was a group of frost giants spotted near our home. They want to make sure we are safe, so they brought us here."

"Why didn't they just take us to see grandfather? He could keep us safe at the castle, why do we need to stay here?"Narfi asks, looking up at me helplessly. A lump begins to form in my throat as I look into his eyes. I can tell that he is even more frightened than I am; even more unaware of what is happening. I swallow hard before looking into his eyes and answering him.

"Well, the frost giants were able to break into grandfather's palace before. Your father wants to make sure that the frost giants can't find us, and they would never think to look here." I say with a small smile. Narfi just frowns at looks across the room at the wall.

"If he wants us to be safe, then why doesn't he just stop leaving Asgard all the time and stay at home with us?" I frown back at him and sigh.  _I wish I knew, sweetheart._

"I know that you're father has been absent for a while, Narfi. But I can promise you that he loves you more than anything in the nine realms, and he will do anything and everything he can to keep you safe. We both will. Do you understand, sweetheart?" I manage to say this by talking in a hushed whisper close to Narfi's ear, for any louder and my emotions would have gotten the better of me. Narfi nods weakly, looking down at the ground.

"Where is Vali, though, mother?" His question catches me off guard, for until now, I had tried as hard as I could to avoid thinking about it. I take a deep breath and look up at the ceiling.

"I do not know, little one…" I whisper softly, tears threatening to flow down my cheeks. Narfi closes his eyes and rests his head in my lap once again. I continue to stare at the ceiling as I try to remember the last time I saw my eldest son, but as I do, I hear a commotion from down the hall. I can hear a struggle as two guards drag someone past our door and throw him into the cell next to ours. A familiar voice is shouting at the men from the cell. The moment I hear it, my heart drops. I sit here for what feels like hours, listening for a voice from the cell next to ours.

"V-Vali?" I ask the wall behind me.  _Please, don't respond. Please, don't be him._ I desperately think as I sit in silence for a few dreadful moments.

"Mum?" The familiar voice responds from the neighboring cell. I try to hold back a sob.

"Did you enjoy your ride, sweetheart?" I ask, obviously trying to avoid the present situation.

Vali chuckles bitterly. "Well, I was a bit disappointed when there weren't any apples on the table when I got home." I laugh through my tears, comforted by Vali and as he plays along and pretends to also be oblivious to what is currently happening. I can't see him, but I know he is smirking. He's just like his father in that way. If it were any other day, I would have mistaken him for Loki.

"I'm sorry; I got a bit preoccupied in the gardens and completely forgot about them," I say softly to the wall as I wipe tears from my cheeks.

"It's alright; I managed to find a cherry tree on my way home," Vali replies with a small laugh. "I was surprised that it was in bloom at this time of year."

I want to continue this boring, everyday conversation, but the guards outside our door are causing a commotion. Someone is walking down the hall, shouting at the men. I strain my neck in an attempt to look out the small, barred door at the man as he approaches.

"How went the funeral?" One of the guards asks sadly.  _Funeral?_

"Rather awefully, I'm afraid. Nanna has died out of grief for her lost husband."

I stop breathing for a moment out of shock as I break down what the man has just said. It takes me a moment, almost as if the words were spoken in a foreign tongue. Nanna, wife of Balder, Odin's youngest and most beloved son, dead out of grief for her lost husband.  _No…no it can't be…_

"And what of the murdering traitor, Loki?" The other guard asks.

"They've found him," The man says, stopping in front of our door and looking at the two guards, who straighten themselves. "They're bringing him back to the castle now. Odin wants the children brought to him when he returns."

"When will that be, sir?" One of the guards asks. I can barely hear him over the pounding of my heart, which has been slowly moving up my throat.

"Sometime around day break, I believe. Until then, let them alone," The man peers into our cell at glances at me. I give him a look that feels something like a frantic cross between glaring and pleading. He catches it, and turns his back to the men, adding as he leaves. "She will want to say goodbye to them before they depart."

I close my eyes, suddenly pulling a sleeping Narfi closer as I bite my lip, unwilling to let an audible sob escape my lips in front of my children. I want more than anything to be woken up from this nightmare. The present situation is now completely clear. My husband has killed his brother, one of the most beloved of the Aesir. He's always been jealous of his little brother, even more so than he ever had been of Thor. But I can't be brought to believe that he would do something as horrible as kill his own brother. Odin is most assuredly furious with Loki, more so than he's ever been before. It could be argued that the All- Father loved Balder more than either Loki or Thor. This had brought the two brothers together again, in a way, for Odin's sudden shift in favorites had caused Thor to care little for his youngest brother. A sleeping Narfi suddenly begins to stir in his sleep, whimpering softly. I pat his back as I press an ear against the wall, hoping Vali didn't, by some grace of fate, hear the guards' conversation. Were the walls any thicker, I wouldn't be able to hear the muffled sobbing from the adjoining cell, which told me he had heard and understood. I hug Narfi and kiss his forehead, wishing I could do the same to my eldest son as he lay in his cell, his proximity to me is borderline unbearable.

Narfi turns over and opens his eyes, looking up at me through half- open, glazed- over eyes.

"What's wrong, Mum?" He whispers. I bite my tongue and try to come up with an explanation as to why I am holding him like a selfish child holds his favorite toy in a nursery.

"You were tossing and whimpering in your sleep, little one," I say with the best fake smile I can muster. "Were you having a bad dream?"

The young boy nods, rubbing his eyes as he sits up. "I had a dream that a wolf was chasing me through the forest again…" he mumbles, hugging my side. I wrap my arm around him and rest my chin on his forehead. "Can you sing me a lullaby like you used to when I was little, Mum?"

I swallow the large lump in my throat and nod violently, rubbing Narfi's back. "Of course I can, sweetheart."

Narfi looks up at me and grins, then shuts his eyes and waits for me to begin. I sit in silence for a moment, before I begin one of the most painful, heartbreaking tasks I have ever done.

_Now let the day just slip away_

_So the dark night may watch over you_

_Velvet blue, silent true_

_It embraces your heart and your soul_

_Nocturne[….](https://open.spotify.com/track/2nJaOJ2D2LjUS3s49lTpwi)_

I look down at Narfi, taking in each and every feature slowly as I sing him to sleep. His dark hair, slicked back just like his father's. His small smile as I pull him closer to my side, reassuring him that I am still there. Every so often, his sea green eyes looking up at me, that almost seem to glow in the dark.

_Never cry, never sigh_

_You don't have to wonder why_

_Always be, always see_

_Come and dream the night with me._

_Nocturne…_

I can feel the tears roll down my cheeks, feel them land on my leg. My world seems to be falling down around me, and I have completely lost control of my fate. I haven't the slightest clue what is to happen to me at sunrise, but I'm not worried about my own well being at the moment. All I care about are my sons, and according to the men outside my door, they will soon be ripped away from my side. Gone. The thought alone is enough to send me over the edge for good. But I can't lose control now. I must be strong for my children, my husband, and myself.

_Have no fear, when the night draws near_

_And fills you with dreams and desire._

_Like a child asleep; so warm, so deep_

_You will find me there waiting for you._

_Nocturne…._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave me a comment to let me know what you think :)  
> Thanks again for reading!!


	3. Baby, It's Cold Outside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sigyn experiences her first winter and tries to adjust to the cold, while Loki uses an old childhood prank to introduce his wife to snow. 
> 
> Songs for this chapter:  
> In Winter- Matt Pond PA  
> Snow May Be Falling- The Sweeplings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone!!!!!!!!! I am finally getting back to writing after finishing up my doctorate and getting a new job. I hope to be able to post more regularly now that I have a more predictable schedule. I have a couple of ideas for this story, including a continuation of the angst of the previous chapter, but for now, in honor of the holidays (and the fact that I came home from Florida to find snow everywhere and almost turned into a Popsicle) I thought I would write some fluffy humor with a mild sprinkle of smut(?). ( implied sex and some naked touching ahead. nothing too graphic, but proceed at your own will)
> 
> I have made a spotify playlist for this fic! It's mainly songs that I listen to while I write, and songs that I have listed in this and previous chapters are all there for your listening pleasure!  
> Playlist name: Loyalty - Loki x Sigyn  
> https://open.spotify.com/user/1212479763/playlist/0VVuCS3WKfJZmDSy90NxyL?si=v7FeleBfRai_lBF3KqnY-g

 

Winter had arrived early on Asgard; the first snowflakes had just started to fall outside. Loki didn’t mind the winter weather- he liked to use it as an excuse to stay inside and read. His wife, on the other hand, was a creature of the sunshine. Having grown up on a tropical beach, cold and snow were things to which she was unaccustomed, and this early winter wasn’t something she was handling well. She had spent the last few days curled up in their bed shivering and drinking tea. He wondered what she would think of this first snowfall.

Loki had just settled down with his second book for the evening when he heard a shrill squeak come from the hallway, followed by a _thud._  He pulled a knife from his sleeve and ran to the door, pushing it open.

A pile of blankets was squirming around on the floor in front of him. He chuckled as Sigyn’s head popped out from between two of them, blonde curls covering her eyes. Her hands searched for something below the blankets. She pulled out her silver circlet and placed it daintily back on her head, pushing her hair away from her eyes.

“And just what, might I ask, are you doing, my flower?” He asked, putting away his knife as he looked down at her. “I thought you had gone to fetch some tea?”

Sigyn grinned up at her husband as she tried to get back on her feet. She wavered, tripping again on a blanket. Loki caught her before she could fall back to the ground. He kissed her forehead as she leaned against him for balance.

 “Well, your mother found me shivering in the hall and gave me these,” Sigyn grinned as she lifted the blankets with a shrug. “She knows how unphased you are by the cold and figured I would probably need some. Unfortunately, I couldn’t carry the kettle and all these blankets, and your mother had been on her way to the kitchens to fetch a kettle for herself when she found me, so…”

Her voice trailed off as Loki bent down and scooped her up, blankets and all. She let out another small, surprised squeak as he carried her back into their bedchamber and set her down gently on the bed. Sigyn readjusted the blankets so that they completely covered her, a makeshift shield against the cold

“Apologies for the lack of tea,” Sigyn said from inside of her blanket cocoon.

“It’s not that I don’t trust your ability to successfully bring tea to our bedchamber, but I had a servant bring up a kettle after the first twenty minutes of your absence, love.”

Sigyn popped her head back out to give Loki a look of mock betrayal as he poured himself another glass from the kettle. She set her circlet down on the small table next to her.

“I don’t understand why you and Mother always insist on making your own kettle. The servants are perfectly capable of boiling water.”

“It’s nothing to do with not trusting the servants,” Sigyn said as she fell back onto the pillows. “It’s just… so relaxing to walk about the kitchen and wait for that whistle to ring out. Besides, I quite enjoy chatting with the kitchen staff.”

Loki grinned as he set his teacup down.  “Why am I not surprised?”

Sigyn was always looking for people to meet. It was almost as if her goal was to know the name of every servant in the palace before the Solstice. He couldn’t understand why she was this way, why she put so much effort into caring about people she barely knew. In his eyes, those people were beneath her, given her rank as the wife of one of Asgard’s princes. No one she should be fussing over, yet she still did. She remembered their names, asked about their children, wished them well on their name days. She was much like Frigga that way; it had certainly made both quite popular throughout the kingdom.

It was also likely the only reason either woman cared for him.

Loki crawled onto the bed next to her. Sigyn, he noticed, had already drifted off into a daydream. He watched her as she stared out the window at the snow, eyes wide. On their balcony, an even layer of snow had landed like a sparkling crystal blanket.  

“It’s so beautiful,” she whispered, smiling back at him.

Loki ran his hand gently across her cheek, tucking her hair back to expose her bare neck. He leaned in and pressed his lips softly against her neck. Sigyn hummed, content.

“If you are cold, my love, I will gladly do all in my power to warm you.” He said with a smirk, pulling on the blankets she had wrapped herself in as he pressed his body against hers. Sigyn pulled them away from him, laughing as her cheeks turned pink. He playfully wrestled an arm around her and kissed her cheek before resting his head on her shoulder, following her gaze. They lay in silence, savoring the quiet, delicate moment.

Suddenly, a familiar laugh rang out from the ground below their bedchamber. It didn’t take long for an idea to form in Loki’s mind. He got up and walked over to the open balcony. With a wave of his hand, the three large, golden cauldrons that lined it burst into flames, which cast a warm orange glow over the snow. He motioned for Sigyn to join him.

Sigyn slid out of bed, blankets in tow, and carefully made her way over to the balcony. Realizing that her blankets would get covered in snow if she went out with all of them, she tightly wrapped one around her arms, and left the others in a pile by the bed. She cautiously took her first step into the snow by placing her foot in one of Loki’s footprints. She gasped at the cold and drew her foot back.

“How are you not _frozen_?”

Loki pressed a finger to his lips, then shrugged in response to her question. He pointed at her feet, and she suddenly felt a warmth flow over them, protecting them from the cold snow.

“ _Thanks,”_ She whispered as she followed Loki’s footprints over to the railing of their balcony, not wanting to disturb any more of the untouched snow. He placed an arm around her as she leaned on the railing and stared out at the distant sea.

“When I was younger, “He whispered, “I used to hide in Mother’s garden when it snowed and wait for Thor to come looking for me.”

Loki pointed at the garden below them. Sigyn looked down and noticed Thor and the Lady Sif stumbling along the path, deep in a conversation that was obviously being fueled by an excess of ale. Loki leaned closer to her and continued his story.

“You see, rather than explain her magic, Mother told him stories of faeries that protected her plants in the winter. She had told him that mainly to protect her flowers from his boots, since he often chose to run through the garden in the winter. It also had the potential to be the great basis of a prank.”

Sigyn rolled her eyes and turned to look at him.

“Just _what_ did you do to your poor brother _this time?”_ She asked with a giggle. 

“Well, when he would finally come looking for me, I would pack the snow into balls and throw them at him, then vanish before he saw me. He would run screaming, out of fear that he had angered the garden spirits,” Loki laughed, bending down to scoop up a pile of snow with his bare hands. He quickly packed it into a perfect sphere and stood up.

“In fact, I’m pretty sure he still believes those faeries are real,” He looked at his wife with a mischievous smirk. “Shall we test that theory?”

“Oh, Loki, we shouldn’t,” Sigyn protested half- heartedly. She gave her husband an equally mischievous smirk. “Show me how to make one.”

Loki proceeded to teach her the basics of snowball making, and once they had created a decent pile, they stood up and proceeded with their prank.

Loki waited for Thor to stop moving for a moment. He took careful aim, and with the help of a bit of magic, launched the ball of snow at his unsuspecting victim.

Loki had managed to hit his brother in the back of the head.  The man let out a loud curse and stumbled forward, his impaired balance increasing the effect of the impact. Sigyn clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound of her laughter.

“Shhhh,” Loki hissed as he chuckled and pulled her down to the ground.

They peered between the bars of the railing, checking to see if either Sif or Thor had figured out where the snowball had come from. Once he was certain that they were drunkenly oblivious, he stood back up and launched two more. One managed to hit Thor in the ear, while the second had curved slightly and ended up hitting the Lady Sif in the chest.

Loki chuckled when Sif’s shocked scream echoed through the courtyard.

“Loki, that was rather rude!”

“It was an accident, darling, honest-“

Loki was cut of by a loud, angry growl.

“FAERIES!”

Loki and Sigyn glanced at one another before looking back down at Thor and Sif. The God of Thunder was swinging his hammer at the air around him, daring the guardians of the garden make themselves seen. Loki reached for another snowball, but Sigyn grabbed his arm before he could launch it.

“Let me try this time.”

Loki gave his wife an approving nod, then handed her the snowball. Sigyn stood up to take aim at her brother- in- law, who was still shouting at thin air. Loki taught her the enchantment he had been using. She waited a moment for Thor to turn around, and when he did she recited the word and watched as her snowball took flight.

It was a direct hit.

Thor, in the middle of his drunken rant, was hit squarely in the mouth. This shot caught him the most off guard. He fell backwards into a flowerbed, arms flailing. He dropped his hammer as he fell, and it crashed into the frozen dirt.

“Oh, shit.” Loki said in disbelief, yanking his shocked wife back down to the ground. Sif’s laugh rang out in the garden, and soon Valstagg and Hogun stumbled into the garden to investigate what had happened.

Loki turned to Sigyn and kissed her deeply. “That was brilliant, love.”

Hearing Sif’s laugh seemed to reassure Sigyn that all was well below, and she quickly broke down in a fit of laughter, soon followed by her husband. They looked back down at the Warrior’s Three, who were in the process of dragging Thor back into the palace. Yet another successful prank in the books for Loki.

Once the four were back inside, Sigyn stood back up and made her way back to their bedchamber. She was halfway there when a blast of cold seemed to explode against her back, sending a small shock through her body. She let out a surprised shriek and turned to see Loki standing by the railing, holding the remaining two snowballs.

“We can’t let these go to waste, dear,” He said with a smirk as he tossed another snowball at her. Sigyn ducked, and the snowball flew into their bedchamber and hit Loki’s reading chair, leaving a large clump of already- melting snow.

Sigyn looked back at her husband, a competitive grin on her face.

“It’s on.”

She quickly took cover behind one of the golden cauldrons while she hastily built herself a small armory. Loki did likewise. They took turns throwing snowballs at one another. Loki ran out of ammo first. He let his wife get two more shots in before tackling her, pinning her arms down and kissing her while she squirmed and giggled beneath him.

“Loki, stop!” She begged through her laughter. “Please, I’m freezing!”

 Loki waited a few moments before he let go of her arms and rolled over, pulling her on top of him and wrapping his arms around her. She grinned up at him and rested her head on his chest as they both caught their breath.

Sigyn pulled her blanket around her tighter, when she realized it was drenched by melted snow. She looked down at her dress and saw that it was also completely soaked.

“We should probably get back inside before we turn to ice.”

Loki groaned in response, obviously comfortable where he was and seemingly uninterested in moving.

Sigyn rolled her eyes and made her way back inside on her own. She quickly removed her wet clothing, wrapped herself in a fresh blanket, grabbed her comb out of a drawer, and made her way over to the fireplace. She collapsed into Loki’s large reading chair and began to lazily comb her damp, knotted hair while she gazed into the blazing fire.

Sigyn didn’t realize she had dozed off until she felt a strong pair of arms pick her up. Loki took her place in the chair, gently setting her down in his lap. She grinned when she realized he had also removed his wet clothes after coming inside. He took the comb from her hand and began gently untangling her hair where she had left off.

Sigyn closed her eyes and smiled. She loved when Loki combed her hair for her. He was always gentle and precise, maintaining a slow, soothing pace as he moved the comb through her long, wavy hair. It made her feel safe, as if the Nine Realms were inhabited exclusively by them. Part of her wished she could stop time and live in these gentle moments for eternity.

Loki finished combing her hair and gently put it in a braid. He wrapped his arms around her and began passionately kissing her neck. Sigyn let out a soft moan and turned to press her lips against his, lacing her fingers through his damp hair. Loki cupped one of her breasts in his hand, firmly grasping her waist with his other. Sigyn could feel his cock hardening between her legs, and a warm wave of arousal washed over her.

 A loud banging at the door put an end to their intimate moment.

“Loki!” A coarse voice shouted from the hall.

Loki cursed loudly as Sigyn ran to their bed and dove under the covers to hide the fact that she wasn’t decent. Loki wrapped a blanket around his waist and stormed over to the door, opening it to reveal Vandral and Hogun.

“Pray tell, what in the Nine Realms has compelled you to come to our chambers at such a late hour?” Loki growled before he had even finished opening the door. His hostility and state of undress visibly startled Vandral, who jumped back in surprise, cheeks turning pink ever so slightly. Hogun remained where he stood, completely unphased.

“Did you launch an attack on Thor and the Lady Sif tonight?” Hogun asked in his coarse yet monotone voice as he stared directly into Loki’s eyes.

Sigyn sank further under the blankets upon hearing the question, amused by the way he had chosen to describe a handful of snowballs. It was obvious that Hogun already knew the answer to his question.  She knew Loki would never admit to it, however. She just hoped the two men would give up on their interrogation quickly.

“Have you both gone mad?” Loki shouted.

“You left the fire burning on your balcony.”

“I’ve been in bed with my wife all night. As I am _every_ night.” His voice grew louder and angrier with each syllable as he conveniently avoided explaining why the cauldrons on the balcony had been left to burn. “It would do you both well to remember that fact before you decide to come banging on my door at such a late hour in the future!”

Hogun continued to stare directly at Loki, clearly unphased by his anger. Vandral, however, had decided that the awkwardness of the situation had grown to be too much for him to handle. His cheeks had turned a rather fine shade of red.

“That we shall do, friend!” He exclaimed nervously. “Many apologies to you and the princess for the… interruption,” He grabbed his Hogun by the arm and began to pull him away. Before Hogun could retort, Loki slammed the door in their faces and stormed over to the bed.

Sigyn rolled over and wrapped her arms around him as he laid down on the bed.

“I need to light a fire under the ass of each mason that is currently building our hall,” he groaned, turning to face her. “I don’t think the next person to knock on that door past sunset will escape with a head on their shoulders.”

Sigyn chuckled and kissed him. “No need to get violent, darling.”

He mumbled a disagreement under his breath. Sigyn looked up at the ceiling and thought for a moment.

“Will there be snow at our hall in the winter?” She asked.

“Probably. Why do you ask?”

“Well, we should probably ensure that our gardens are filled with diligent faeries come winter, should your brother decide to visit and drink our entire supply of mead.” Sigyn said, smiling at him. Loki laughed and gazed into her eyes, admiring her.

“I don’t know how you managed to get all of Asgard to believe you are this well- mannered, kind- hearted picture of perfection. You’re clearly just as mischievous as I am, if not more so.”

Sigyn scoffed at his accusation. “I doubt that anyone could possibly be more mischievous than you, my love.”

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

“Well then, since Vandral and Hogun -and likely half of the palace, given how loud you were screaming- believes we have been wrapped around one another all night,” Sigyn said, wrapping her leg around Loki’s waist.  “Shall we continue from where we left off?”

He wasted no time, extinguishing the cauldrons on the balcony with a flick of his wrist. Sigyn shivered from the sudden loss of heat.

“As I said before, my love,” Loki whispered sensually as he climbed on top of her. “By the time we are finished, this cold will feel most inviting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Smut is very much not my forte, as you can probably tell from that chapter. Any tips on how to improve would be greatly appreciated! I finished writing this at 5 am so I apologize for any spelling errors. Thanks again for reading! Happy Thanksgiving to anyone celebrating this week!


	4. Somewhere Only We Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sigyn celebrates her Name Day alone while Loki is off preparing the Nine Realms for his brothers coronation. Frigga confronts rumors of a possible addition to the royal family that have Sigyn wishing she had somewhere to hide. Loki leaves a note hinting at a surprise to come later that night.
> 
> Songs:  
> Somewhere Only We Know - Lily Allen  
> A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman  
> Bloom- Troye Sivan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, again friends! This chapter is a little on the choppy side, but I couldn't bring myself to cut it into two odd, super short chapters. I also didn't want to continue adding to it, because it was already rather long, and it ended on the note I had originally wanted this chapter to end on. The following chapters are going to finally delve into more of a consistent story line, Which will be blending Norse Mythology and parts of the MCU together to form one unique timeline.

_Sigyn_ _ran down a thin dirt path she had grown quite familiar with, surrounded by dark green plants that seemed to swallow her up. She dove into a bush with large, waxy leaves that were almost as big as she was. She could hear her newest nanny shouting for her somewhere in the garden._

_“Sigyn, my child, come here! Your aunts have arrived. They wish to shower you with affection for your Name Day, but they cannot do so when you are hiding from them!”_

_Sigyn stuck her tongue out at her words. In the eyes of her aunts, affection typically meant treating her as their own personal dress up doll, since their own daughters had already been married off to wealthy husbands in various realms. They doted on her and brought her limitless gifts of clothes and toys. They were eager to show her off at parties and banquets, to introduce her to dignitaries from across the Nine Realms. She never enjoyed it, and every so often, she opted to hide before their visits._

_She sat on a rock and dug her bare feet into the wet ground, covering them in mud. The new nanny would have quite a fit when she saw that, Sigyn thought with a smile. Neither her nor her aunts would never truly chastise her for her actions, though, attributing her actions to another mysterious fear she had gained from her first years of life. They thought of her as a fragile thing made of glass or porcelain, waiting to shatter under the smallest bit of stress. Her early childhood was more than enough to prove that thought wrong, yet no one seemed to see it that way. Perhaps they feared that she was at a breaking point, and no one dare be the one to push her over the edge into madness._

_“Odin’s beard, child! Eight is far too old an age for you to be playing these games!”_

_Sigyn’s eyes widened when she heard her main nanny, Una, shouting for her. Una was one of the few women in the palace who wasn’t afraid of disciplining her. She heard footsteps coming down the path toward her hiding place, and she backed up until she hit a tree._

_The footsteps stopped in front of her._

_“Why are we hiding, little one?” A young man’s voice asked gently. Sigyn quietly crawled forward and peered out from behind one of the massive leaves. The voice belonged to a tall, dark- haired man dressed in Asgardian clothes. He grinned at her, crouching down so he was on her level. “Might you be the Sigyn they are searching for?”_

_Sigyn retreated behind the tree she had previously bumped into. The Asgardian man chuckled._

_“I promise, I am not here to give up your hiding place. I was simply wondering if you’d show me around this lovely garden. It’s awfully large and I fear I might be lost.”_

_Sigyn slowly crawled back out from behind her bush. “My name is Loki. I am here to visit with King Njordh, but he is busy at the moment.”_

_Sigyn looked up at the young visitor with large, curious green eyes and remained silent._

_“I apologize for scaring you. What are you doing here in this garden?” He asked, keeping his distance so he wouldn’t frighten her._

_“I live here.” Sigyn managed to squeak out in a voice fit more for a mouse than a child of her age. Loki gave her a confused look and peered behind the bush._

_“Here? In the mud?” he asked her playfully, causing her to giggle._

_“No, in the palace,” she laughed and hopped onto a large rock, pointing.  “I’m hiding from my aunts.”_

_“Ah,” Loki said with a smile, standing up again. “And why are you hiding?”_

_“It’s my Name Day. They brought me presents.”_

_Loki blinked, trying to hide his confusion at her answer. “Well, allow me to wish you a glorious Name Day, Sigyn.”_

_He thought for a moment, then took a step closer to her. “Would it be alright if_ I _gave you a present?”_

_Her eyes grew wide. “Please, no dresses!”_

_Loki laughed. “No dresses, I promise.”_

_Sigyn considered his offer, then nodded. “Okay.”_

_He grinned, reached into his sleeve, and pulled out a glowing, purple flower. Her favorite color, how had he known?_

_A large smile spread across the girl’s face as he handed it to her._

_“How did you do that?” She asked, beaming up at him with wonder._

_“Magic.” He whispered._

_“Can you teach me how?” She asked, jumping off her rock perch and grabbing his hand._

_“Well, not right now, but maybe on another visit I could.” A small frown appeared on her face. “Why don’t you show me around your garden? I’d love to see more of it.”_

_The girl jumped up and down excitedly, pulling him down the path to show him more of her favorite hiding places in the garden on the premise he wouldn’t tell her nannies about them._

The warmth of the sun on Sigyn’s back slowly pulled her from sleep and urged her to meet the new day. She groggily rubbed her eyes with one hand as she reached over to her right, searching for her husband. All she felt were blankets and pillows. She looked over to see nothing but an empty bed, washed in golden morning sunlight. She frowned.

Loki had been noticeably absent the past few days. He would be gone from there bed before the sun had risen, and most nights she fell asleep awaiting his return. Had he not always taken the time to carry her to bed each night, she never would have known that he had come home at all.

Frigga had reassured her that the All- Father had simply had him out speaking with diplomats from the many Realms in preparation for Thor’s coronation next month. Sigyn knew that her husband, as mischievous as he tended to be, was also one of the best diplomats in the castle, much the antithesis of his brother. While she understood that Loki’s silver tongue was much needed for this task, she had hoped the All- Father would have given him a day of rest on her Name Day. All she wanted on this day was to spend time with her husband, as she had done every year for quite some time.

It’s not that Sigyn was without something to do in her husband’s absence. Even she had been given a task for her brother- in- laws big day; she was to help Frigga oversee banquet preparations in the kitchens. She had been admittedly neglecting her duties the past few days, though, as she had been suddenly overcome with a small bout of illness. This she believed was over her now, replaced by a rather ravenous hunger.

Sigyn pulled on her robe, wrapping it around herself as she walked across the bedchamber and over to the large dining table. She smiled when she noticed a large tray, piled high with exotic fruits from across the Realms- some of which she knew were rather difficult to acquire at this time of year. It was something Loki had brought to her every year when she had lived in her father’s palace on Vanaheim. Nevertheless, the growling in her stomach made the gift that much more appreciated. Her mouth watered, and she felt as if she hadn’t eaten in weeks. She picked up a note that accompanied the tray. Loki’s handwriting.

 

> _My Starlight,_
> 
> _I deeply regret being unable to keep you company on your Name Day. I hope to attempt to make it up to you tonight. Until then, please enjoy this gift of some of your favorite fruits for breakfast. Our seamstress will be bringing my second gift up to you later in the day. I know the gift of a dress was never your favorite, but I had hoped you would wear it later tonight. I promise there are more gifts to come._
> 
> _Until then darling, I hope the day brings you much joy._
> 
> _All my Love- Loki_

Sigyn grinned, surprised he had remembered her distaste of many of her childhood gifts.

“Oh, dear husband, “she whispered as she placed the letter back on the tray. “You spoil me so.”

The head seamstress Estridd knocked on their door a few hours later. Sigyn put down the sketchbook she had been doodling in on the balcony and let her in.

“Happy Name Day, Princess!” The older woman said with a wide smile. Sigyn shyly grinned back at her, motioning for the woman and her small army of assistants to enter. In her arms, Estridd held an elegant lavender gown. The woman’s gaze shifted down to Sigyn’s stomach for less than a second, an attempt to be subtle that had failed in Sigyn’s eyes. “We’re going to have to quickly make some finishing touches to your gown, seeing as it was commissioned without new measurements.”

 “I don’t see how the measurements you have from my winter gowns would differ from my current ones.”

Sigyn frowned when she noticed the looks that were being exchanged between the younger seamstresses, their eyes scanning her up and down. She knew why they were worried. Rumors of pregnancy had spread throughout the palace ever since she had gotten sick during a banquet the week before. She and Loki had thought nothing of it at the time.

Sigyn knew that the rumors were nothing fashioned to upset her, simply the hopeful wishes for a new addition to the royal family. The reasoning made her feel no less uncomfortable. She felt as if she couldn’t walk down a corridor without having a group of servants whisper about her when she walked by them. Even when they remained silent, their gazes seemed to burn against her skin, making her want to run down the halls to prevent them from staring at her. A quiet person by her nature, being the center of attention was never something Sigyn truly enjoyed. It was just another reason why she had wished her husband was with her this past week.

Sigyn looked at herself in the mirror and examined her gift. She smiled. The dress was a pale lavender, the same color as the flower Loki had given her the day they met. The fabric was soft and light; It seemed to flow over her skin like a liquid, rather than a true fabric. It fit her perfectly everywhere… except for her abdomen.

“Well, we left some extra room just to be safe.” Estridd said, coming up behind her and pulling the fabric tighter. “Nothing we can’t easily take in before tonight, however. Unless you’d like to keep -”

“Did my son ask you to do that, Estridd?”

Every head in the room quickly turned to the door where Frigga stood, staring at the head seamstress.

“Why, your Majesty!” the woman exclaimed somewhat nervously as she curtsied.

Frigga strode over to Sigyn, arms outstretched. She smiled at her daughter- in- law as she embraced her in a hug. “Happy Name Day, child.”

Sigyn returned her smile and gave a small curtsey. “Thank you, All- Mother.”

Frigga turned to Estridd, her face turning stern.

“I was just passing by when I heard Estridd discussing your gown. Did Loki ask you to let out her bodice when he commissioned this dress?”

Estridd became flustered at the question. “Well, Your Majesty, not exactly but we hadn’t gotten any new measurements since her last fitting and-”

“And you assumed you would take the matter into your own hands on what grounds?”

The woman’s face turned red. The other seamstresses shrank back, knowing the answer.

“Let me make this very clear to you all: unless a member of this family tells you otherwise, you are to create clothing using the measurements you have on hand and only those measurements. Mindless gossip does not excuse taking liberty with what either my son or his wife have commissioned from you. Is that understood?”

The women looked at the ground and nodded vigorously. Estridd curtsied as she sheepishly mumbled an apology.

“You may leave us. I shall have my personal seamstress attend to the remaining alterations.” Frigga waved the gaggle of women away. Estridd seemed as if she wished to protest, then thought better of it. She motioned for her assistants to follow her, and they quickly made their way out the door, leaving the two women alone.

Sigyn looked at Frigga in awe, unable to form the words to express how thankful, and honestly, impressed, she was to have someone other than her husband confront the gossip for her.

Frigga sensed this and gave Sigyn a gentle smile as she grabbed her hand. “You don’t think Loki learned how to stand up for himself entirely on his own, did you?”

Sigyn smiled and hugged her mother- in- law again, whispering thanks as she did. Frigga helped Sigyn out of her dress and asked a servant to take it to her head seamstress, while also requesting lunch be brought up for both of them.

“Now, my child, have seen a healer since you became ill last week?” Frigga asked as they sat down to eat.

Sigyn’s heart sank. She knew where this was going. “Well, no…  It was simply the smell of some fish at the banquet that didn’t quite agree with me. I had even remarked how I found the smell repulsive before I became ill. I figured my stomach was simply weaker that night.”

“Have you felt ill again since?”

“Well, not particularly.” She lied. She couldn’t even walk past the kitchens without feeling nauseous. She had gone so far as to request her evening tea be brought to her bedchamber the past two nights, rather than fetch it as she normally did. Frigga seemed unimpressed with this answer.  

“You haven’t been attending our banquet meetings in the kitchens.”

“Well, I’m afraid I’ve been sleeping through them, All- Mother.” Another lie. “But I plan on coming today!”

Frigga smiled. “The meeting has been cancelled on account of your Name Day.”

Sigyn looked down at the ground. “I suppose my health has been shy of perfect the past few days. But this morning I woke up feeling much better!”

Frigga gave her a small grin “That’s good to hear.” She waited a moment before asking her final question.

“And the last time you bled was…?”

Sigyn blushed. She could tell it was the question Frigga had been wanting to ask from the start.

“Why last…” She started to answer, then gave it a second thought. “Huh. I suppose It’s been a tad longer than the past, but it’s probably the stress of this coronation. I think…”

 Sigyn’s voice trailed off, her tongue going numb as she started putting the pieces together. A knot formed in her throat. The mere thought that she might be pregnant made her blood run cold. Pregnancy was not something she was ready for. Not now. While she and Loki both wanted a child, she dreaded the thought of going through a pregnancy within the walls of the palace. She grimaced at the thought of being unable to go anywhere without having those around her treat her as if she was fragile, as they had in her childhood.  She needed to move into the Hall Loki was building for them, away from prying eyes. The workers had fallen behind schedule, though, and it was likely that it wouldn’t be finished until after Thor’s coronation.

“My dear, I did not come here to give validation to gossip.” Frigga said as she helped Sigyn out of her dress. “But I do not want you taking on too many tasks for Thor’s coronation if you are not well.”

“I’m perfectly fine, All- Mother. I can handle the task assigned to me, I promise.”

“I believe you will do an excellent job, my dear. But I would rest easier knowing that you are well.”

Sigyn sighed. “If it would ease your mind, All- Mother, I suppose I can visit the healers tomorrow.”

“Please do.” Frigga picked up Sigyn’s dress and made her way to the door. “I will be back with this in an hour. You should get ready. Loki will be back soon.”

* * *

She was going to trip, and she knew it.

Thor had just arrived at Sigyn’s door to escort her to the next birthday surprise, wearing his typical large, friendly smile and holding a silk, black cloth. Loki had apparently insisted she wear a blindfold as he took her to the next birthday surprise. Not wanting to upset Loki, he had refused to let her out the door until she tied it over her eyes.

“It’s almost as if he wants me to make a total fool of myself.” She said under her breath as she tried to maneuver her way down the hall.

Thor laughed as he watched her struggle to walk in a straight line.

“You know, if you don’t mind, I’d gladly fly you to our next destination.”

Sigyn stopped walking forward, mouth open in shock. “Is it really _that_ far away?”

“Well, our first destination is not, but I can save us time by simply flying you to where the boat we are headed for is supposed to be taking you!” He exclaimed, cheerful and proud of his new idea.

Sigyn stood confused. “A boat?”

Thor shook his head before she could inquire further into the matter

“Ah, ah, ah I have been charged under pain of death not to tell you where we are going.” Thor said cautiously, making it clear he had no intention of ruining his brother’s surprise. Sigyn sighed.

“I suppose, if it will make this whole process less-”

Thor picked her up and took flight before she could finish her sentence. Her surprised scream echoed through the hall as they flew out of the castle. Sigyn held on for dear life as the hurled through the air, propelled by Mjolnir. They quickly landed at their destination, where they were greeted by a confused, angry Loki.

“What are you doing!? I specifically told you-“

“Not to remove her blindfold, I know,” He said, gently placing a somewhat disheveled Sigyn on the ground next to him. He grinned at Loki proudly. “Fear not brother, she cannot see a thing.”

Loki ran over to his wife and wrapped his arms around her.

“Are you alright, darling?”

She nodded her head, her mouth to dry from screaming into the wind to answer in a convincing way. Loki glared at his brother.

“I specifically told you to take her to the boat! Why did you fly her here instead, you buffoon!”

“Well, she was having difficulty walking through the halls with the blindfold on, so I figured why not just skip the boat altogether!”

“The boat was what I was hoping to use to get us back, you fool!” Loki closed his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. “And I was hoping you would wait until _after_ you got her on the boat to blindfold her.”

“Huh, I suppose that makes more sense,” Thor remarked, letting out a laugh. “Apologies, brother! I shall have a boat sent over for the two of you.”

Loki rolled his eyes and motioned for Thor to leave them be, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration. Once he was gone, Loki took a moment to look at his wife. Her hair was somewhat windswept, but it did nothing to detract from her beauty. A chaplet of golden orange blossoms rested upon her head, surprisingly still in place after the journey.

He gave her a kiss before removing her blindfold.

“You look exquisite, Love.” He whispered before backing up and allowing her to look around. Sigyn looked past him at the sea, with the palace far in the distance.

“Loki, where have you brought me?” Sigyn asked, smiling at her husband. He gently grabbed her waist, turning her around.

“Home, my love.”

Sigyn gasped. They stood before a massive set of golden gates. Beyond the gates, at the edge of the sea, stood a magnificent Hall. It appeared as if it had been carved into the seaside cliffs at the time Asgard was created, jutting into the sky like massive golden rocks. At its heart, a massive, open aired dome stood like an elegant, gilded crown. Surrounding it were numerous trees, currently covered in fragrant, pink flowers.

“Is that… _our_ Hall?”

He nodded.

"But you said that the builders were behind! That the hall wouldn't be ready for months still."

Loki looked at Sigyn and gave her a mischievous smile, pulling her in and pressing his body against hers. 

"Can you ever forgive your silver-tongued husband for lying to you?" He asked as he kissed the top of her head gently.

Sigyn wrapped her arms around him. "This is your last strike," She mumbled into his chest, causing him to laugh. 

Loki let go, backed up and bowed to his wife, holding his hand out to her. “May I have the honor of giving you a tour?”

She beamed at her husband and took his hand, allowing him to lead her through the gates. They entered the hall through an impressive set of doors which led into an equally impressive foyer. Sigyn let go of her husband’s hand as she stepped into the center of the room, twirling around as she looked up at the elegant, painted ceiling. A pair of hands suddenly covered her eyes, arms holding her still.

“Hey!” She giggled. “What is it now? Please don’t say it’s another blindfold. Thor wasn’t joking I really can’t walk with that thing over my eyes.”

“Shhh,” Loki whispered into her ear, giving her a quick kiss on the neck to calm her. “I have one final surprise for you.”

He snapped his fingers, causing another blindfold to cover her eyes. He gently picked her up in his arms and made his way toward the center of the Hall.

When he finally put her down, Sigyn noticed that the ground she was standing on was soft. The air around her felt warm and humid, and a fragrant smell filled her nostrils. A memory stirred in her mind.

 _Don’t be silly._ Sigyn thought to herself, suppressing a hope that had bubbled up in her chest.

The blindfold disappeared.

Sigyn stood speechless once again. They stood in the center of a massive greenhouse. She looked around at the various plants and fountains, which only confirmed what she had thought when they first entered the greenhouse. She was wrong. He _had_ done it. She had been joking when she had asked him to build this for her one night. Not because she didn’t want it, but because she knew it would be a nearly impossible task.

Sigyn looked back at Loki with tears in her eyes.

They were in her mother’s garden on Vanaheim. At the very least, it was an exact replica of the garden she had spent countless hours exploring as a child, both alone and, later, with a friend that would become her husband. Everything was exactly as she remembered it. 

Loki watched as she once again spun around, taking in the familiar sights and sounds and smells as if in a dream. She felt the stress from the past week fall from her shoulders as if it were a mighty chain that had just been unlocked. Finally, she had a quiet place to escape from the palace. A place to avoid the prying eyes of nosy servants and seamstresses. A place to ignore the constant stress of the upcoming coronation. She was about to hug her husband and tell him the news when something familiar caught her eye.

Sigyn walked around the large, central fountain and over to a large shrub covered in bright pink flowers. She carefully pushed her arms through the center of the bush, parting it to reveal a narrow dirt path. She removed her arms, and the shrub remained parted, as it had when she was a child. She smiled and ducked under a branch as she made her way into the forest. She peered ahead and was surprised to notice a soft, purple glow coming from farther down the path.

Sigyn ran towards the light. She stopped in front of its source: a large, waxy- leaved bush that was surrounded by a halo of purple light. She carefully pushed the leaves back to reveal a large patch of small, glowing purple flowers. Tears filled her eyes as she looked down at them. She recognized them immediately. 

A hand grabbed her waist gently, causing her to flinch. Sigyn turned and looked up at her husband. She stood silently for what felt like ages, staring into his deep green eyes, trying to come up with words to express how she felt. 

“How?” She whispered.

Loki grinned and took her face in his hand, brushing away a tear with his thumb. He kissed her gently before placing his mouth against her ear.

“Magic.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yay, potential baby! Loki gets to find out more about that in the next chapter, which is also when we will learn more about how Loki truly feels about his brother's coronation. The opening dream sequence was based on the first story I ever read about Sigyn. There is a link to the story on my profile. I highly recommend checking the website out if you are interested in Norse Mythology! It's really interesting!


End file.
